Merrimack New Hampshire International Athlete, Activist for the Disabled: Marilyn Warren Woods (1914-1998)

She was born Marilyn N. Warren on 15 January 1915 in Hudson, New Hampshire, the daughter of Oscar G. & Ida (Proctor) Warren. As a woman with disabilities, she faced the difficulties of mobility, obtaining an education, and finding a job–and she became an activist for the handicapped.

She was a paraplegic due to polio as a baby, and as a result was a resident of a Protestant orphanage in Nashua during middle and later childhood years. Despite the odds against her, she graduated from Nashua High School and Nashua Business College. Later she obtained a job working as a counselor for the State of New Hampshire, and also for Nashua High School. She was instrumental in founding the Leticia Pratt Home for the Handicapped in Nashua NH.

She was early a leader, and an activist for the disabled on the local, state, and national levels–a charter member and past president of the National Association of the Physically Handicapped (NAPH), charter member and past president of the Queen City Chapter of NAPH, member and past president of President Eisenhower’s United States Advisory Council for the Handicapped, member of former Governor John Sununu’s New Hampshire Advisory Council for the Handicapped.

She was instrumental in arranging State of NH plates for the handicapped and was awarded lifetime handicapped license plate #1 by Governor John Sununu. She was also the founder of New England Wheelchair Games at Crotched Mountain Center.

In 1967 she participated in the Pan American Paraplegic games in Canada, winning five medals. She also took part in the International Wheelchair Games in Israel in 1968 and won gold medals in archery, shotput and javelin. When interviewed by CBS’s Charles Kuralt for one of his television “On the Road” episodes, she beat him in handicapped ping pong.

Photograph taken in the 1920’s of Irene Warren with sister, Marilyn (with her crutches). Photograph courtesy of Marilyn’s nephew, Kevin Grove

For many years she lived at 57 Meetinghouse Road in Merrimack, NH. She had married 9 October 1948 in Merrimack NH to Adelbert Nelson Woods, son of Seaver Robertson & Tina B. (Blanchard) Woods.

After a long, energetic and productive life, this remarkable woman died 12 June 1998. Not to be forgotten, she was a Mayflower descendant.

P.S.: Several places might “claim” Marilyn. She was born in Hudson, as a child and young adult lived in Nashua, and in adulthood lived most of her life in Merrimack (all New Hampshire).

=====WARREN FAMILY GENEALOGY====

***FIRST GENERATION***

Richard Warren, was b. 1580 in Greenwich, Co. Kent, England and d. 3 May 1628 in Plymouth MA. He married Elizabeth —- [possibly March/Marsh nee Jouatt]. She was b. 1582 in England and d. 2 Oct 1673. He sailed from Plymouth England in the historic “Mayflower” 6 September 1620. He was not one of the Leyden Company, and joined the group from London. He was one of the first to land at Plymouth, 21 December 1620. He was one of the nineteen signers of the Compact who survived the first winter. They lived near the Eel River and after her husband’s death, Elizabeth conveyed to her daughter’s respective husbands certain lands.
—————-Child(ren) of Richard & Elizabeth (?) Warren:
1. Mary Warren, b. in England; accompanied her mother to New England in the ship “Ann” arriving at Plymouth in July 1623; she m. in 1628 to Robert Bartlett
2. Ann Warren, m. Thomas Little
3. Sarah Warren, m. John Cooke Jr.
4. Elizabeth Warren, m. Richard Church
5. Abigail Warren, m. Anthony Snow
6. +Nathaniel Warren, b. Jan 1624 in Plymouth MA
7. Joseph Warren, b. bef 22 May 1726; d. 1689

***EIGHTH GENERATION***William Warren, son of Isaac & Mercy (Thomas) Warren was b. 1818 in Weathersfield VT, died in Hudson NH 9 May 1861, aged 48 years. He married 29 February 1844 to Eliza Brown, daughter of Joseph Brown. She was b. abt 1825 in Hooksett NH, and d. aft 1880 in Hudson NH. She married 2d) 26 Nov 1868 in Goffstown NH to Phillip Hart, son of William & Mary (Sargent) Hart. He was b. in Weare NH 5 April 1784 and d. 23 Apr 1869 in Nashua NH. William Warren built a house on the north side of Central Street in Hudson NH about 1854 [per “History of Hudson NH by Kimball Webster]. William’s brother Cyrus and he were in partnership for a while (a plane manufacturer). William and Eliza are buried next to each other in Sunnyside Cemetery, Hudson, NH. He was elected rep from Hudson NH in 1852 and 1853.
——————–Children of William & Eliza (Brown) Warren:
1. Mary A. Warren, b. abt 1844 NH
2. Arabell “Addie” E. Warren, b. abt 1848 Hudson NH; d. aft 1881 Hudson NH; married John Clark Dennison; resided Chester, Rockingham Co. NH
3. Frank W. Warren, b. Sept 1853 NH, m. abt 1895 to Emma A. Currier, dau of Nathaniel H. & Emily F. (Holman) Currier. She b. Sept 1868 in NH; had children: Frank Currer Warren b 9 Dec 1888 NH [he m. 18 June 1908 in Raymond NH to Ethel E. Harriman], Howard Brown Warren b 5 Dec 1896, Forest Rodney Warren b 24 Apr 1902, and Helen Agnes Warren, b. 24 Dec 1905; in 1880 living in Chester NH with mother and brother Harry; in 1930 living in Chester, Rockingham Co. NH with wife Emma and child, Frank C.
4. +Charles H. Warren, b. abt 1856 NH
5. Harry Marsh Warren, b. 19 April 1861 in Hudson NH, and d. 21 December 1940 at Chappaqua, Westchester Co., NY; he married 11 Oct 1893 at Troy, Rensselaer Co. NY to Adelaide E. Butler, dau of John B. & Mary Jane (Williamson) Butler. He attended Walnut Hill School and Chester Academy. He graduated from the Union Theological Seminary of NY in 1891 and was ordained a Baptist minister. He served as pastor of Nepperhan Avenue Church in Yonkers, NY. In 1895 he became pastor of Central Park Church on East 83rd Street in NYC. ; in 1880 living in Chester, Rockingham Co. NH; in 1910 living Manhatten, wife Adelaide, children Beatrice and Harry R.; 1930 living Hastings on Hudson, Westchester NY, wife Adelaide B. and son Harry M. (he had 2 daughters and a son). In 1906 he founded the Parish of All Strangers ministering to persons considering suicide. About 1916 the name was changed to Save-a-Life League, that is credited as bein gthe oldest suicide prevention program in the United States. Rev. Warren was president of the League for 34 years. His son Harry Jr. was born in 1903, and continued his father’s work as League President after his death.

Marilyn N. Warren, daughter of Oscar G. & Ida (Proctor) Warren, was born 15 January 1915 in Hudson NH and died 12 June 1998 at a Manchester nursing home. She resided for many years at 57 Meetinghouse Road in Merrimack, NH. She married 9 October 1948 in Merrimack NH to Adelbert Nelson “Dell” Woods, son of Se(a)ver Robertson & Tina B. (Blanchard) Woods. He was b. 18 Nov 1906 in Nashua NH and d. 22 May 1989. He had married 1st) Edna A. Welch, dau of Elbridge Welch, and divorced 24 Sep 1948.
[SEE BIOGRAPHY ABOVE]
———————–

***SOURCES***
1. Richard Warren of the Mayflower and some of his descendants by Emily Warren Roebling; David Clapp & Son, 1901
2. Nashua Telegraph Publishing Co., various newspaper articles and obituaries
3. Nashua (NH) Area Directories
4. Social Security Death Index
5. United States Census Records
6. Various other newspaper articles

Thanks Heather. I find it quite amazing that such a remarkable woman’s story has been pretty much forgotten. She is someone who came to my attention a few months ago, and I’ve been researching her all this time.

Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I’ve truly enjoyed surfing around your blog posts. In any case I will be subscribing for your rss feed and I’m hoping you write again very soon!

Hi Jance;
I thought Cow Hampshire would be a good site and was very surprised at what I found. Marilyn Woods is my first cousin and I grew up living next to her in Nashua. First of all NO ONE thought of her being handicapped! She drove a car BEFORE automatatic transmissions. I worked with her on the PROCTOR genealogy that included her family connections; that would been in the early 90’s. She never mentioned the Warren hertitage. Thanks again for the article.
Norm Procter

Janice, thank you so much for commemorating my Auntie Mal (her sister Irene was my mother and I lived with Marilyn and Del for a period in my life). Periodically I search the internet to see what I can find about her and this was a blessing to find. This was a women of unstoppable character and there really ought to be books and movies written about her. Hi there Norm, glad to see you added a comment too.

Hi, Kevin, I was interested to learn of your aunt”s life. I visited you in Seal each in 1981 and with your mother in Ontario of the same year, also your brother Donald. I was with Steve Perry, your cousin and I have been working on his family tree for several years. You and your brother and mother are on it. The tree is on Ancestry.com. I wondered what ever happened to you. You can contact me, if you like, at caution50@www4.net. I have lived in Arizona for almost 30 years, now. I find that New Hampshire has a tremendous amount of rich history and interesting people who made a difference in the founding of this country. Best, Dan